In Shining Whatever (Three Magic Words Trilogy #2)(8)

"That's him. He was twenty-five. Her mother almost died when she married him at the courthouse. No big white wedding. No gift registry. I was in my first semester at A&M when that happened," Hart said.

"So why didn't they call her Stephanie Miller at the funeral?" Sophie asked.

"They divorced about a year after the wedding. I guess she finally got enough of his lifestyle. She was high maintenance, and her father cut her credit cards off when she married him. It took a year before she looked around and figured she'd had enough. Her mother had big notions about the two of us even then, but Stephanie didn't want me."

"So what happened?" Fancy shot ketchup over a platter of fries and began to eat them with her fingers.

"She changed schools. Went off somewhere and wound up married to her psychiatrist. That's when she got the big wedding. Billy Joe got swept under the rug. My momma went to the wedding and said it was the biggest thing in Albany. Stephanie opted to keep her maiden name."

"So that's the story?" Sophie asked.

"It is the bare-bones facts far as I know them," Hart answered, but he was looking at Kate the whole time.

"Poor Stephanie," Sophie said.

"Why? She made her choices and lived with the consequences," Hart said.

Fancy shook her head. "I don't think she did. She was everything her mother wanted her to be. She got her rebellious streak too late. It should have come along when she was about fifteen, and then her mother and father could have taken care of it. As it was, they didn't know until it was too late, because she was out from under their thumb. She couldn't handle her life when it went south, as you say."

The conversation stalled, everyone thinking about what Fancy had said.

"I've got to go." Kate used the lull in conversation to escape. She picked up her purse and laid a dollar on the table.

Hart handed the dollar back to her, brushing her fingertips. "I'll get this. Thanks for asking me to sit with y'all."

She willed herself to not let his touch affect her. It did not work.

"Thank you," she said and looked at Kate and Fancy. "I'll see you two later."

Sophie downed the last of the coffee. "Got to run also. I've got chores, and Aunt Maud is failing fast"

"So how's the first week of marriage?" Hart asked Fancy when they were alone.

"Wonderful!"



"Theron's little girl adjusting?"

"Tina is great. She and I were friends long before Theron asked me to marry him. He says the only reason I said yes was to get a daughter." Fancy smiled.

"Theron is a great person. I'm glad he's going to go into fulltime ranching. He was born to it as much as I was," Hart said. "It's what brought me home off the rodeo rounds. Grandpa died and left me his spread over south of Breckenridge."

"When was that?"

"Actually a month ago, but I already had my money up for the Professional Bull Riding, so I went on ahead and made one last ride."

"How long have you known Theron?" Fancy asked.

"Ever since he came to this area and bought his Uncle Joe's ranch. His uncle and my granddad were friends. I visited Granddad as often as I could and met Uncle Joe years ago. When Theron came to live on the ranch, I was one of the first people he got to know"

"And Kate?"

"I don't have to tell you about any of that, I'm sure. You three were best friends in high school, and it's evident you've kept in touch. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her at Theron's wedding. Well, I expect I'd best be getting on home to do chores too. Again, thank you for the invitation to sit with you ladies for coffee."

"You are very welcome. Come see us. Maybe we'll plan a dinner party," Fancy said.

"Just call me. Theron has the number."





Kate was bored nigh unto death. She hadn't realized how much she would miss the uniform. Back in New Iberia, when she first made detective and didn't have to put on a uniform every day, she thought she'd plumb died and gone to heaven. Now she wished she had it back. She'd been trained to be a cop and worked at it until she made detective-the youngest female ever to have that honor in New Iberia.

She carried a tray of chips and salsa to a table of four early tourists. They had their little maps out and were planning to go on over to Albany and do the walking tour, check out the antique shops, and stay at that quaint little Hereford Motel. She answered a few questions about Breckenridge, told them where they could find the Chamber of Commerce, and headed back to the kitchen with the tray and their orders.

"Busy day, isn't it?" the other full-time waitress said in passing.

"It'll make the time go faster," Kate said.

She stacked the tray on the table and picked up the coffeepot with one hand and the tea pitcher with the other. Bobby and Slim were seated at the nearest table when she came out of the kitchen. They both motioned for her to join them. She checked the other customers and slid into one of the two vacant chairs.

"What're y'all doin' today?" she asked.

"Needin' your help, but we'd be in trouble if the captain found out we were even talking to you. It's small-town Texas, darlin'. You're not going to change it. But we need a good detective. This case is eating our lunch," Bobby said.